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Dear Class of 2009,
Treeline does not usually partake in job fairs but I went to a college job fair the other day for the first time. Typically we feel that we are all sales people and that job fairs are too reactive as opposed to our usual proactive approach to our business. Let me explain; we partner together with a company, find out what kind of sales professional would be a successful fit for their company and we, in turn, proactively search for, find, qualify and help present that company with those kinds of sales people.
You can plainly see that my colleague and I might not be too enthused about sitting behind a table with a bowl of candy and a stack of our business cards waiting to meet anyone who approaches our table. Not really ‘a thrill a minute’ type of afternoon. Don’t get me wrong…the function as a whole was well done. It was a great setting in a grand academic hall. There were grad and undergrad students bustling about – getting to and from classes. Some students came to talk to us about how we could add value to their search after they graduate in a month. Some are looking for an internship for the summer. Some just came for the candy. We have conversations with several students but do you know what I spoke about the most?! I spoke with panicked students who were freaking out about how there are no jobs out there and there never will be again.
Seriously, I spoke with people who thought the sky was falling. There was one girl who thought that going back for her MBA was a waste and that she’ll probably end up working at KFC. She wasn’t talking about working in KFC’s corporate office, she meant an actual KFC…not that there is anything wrong with working at KFC, but people usually aim higher with an MBA.
I speak with dozens of sales professionals everyday and as a team, Treeline keeps a firm grip on what the market is doing on a day to day basis. The messages that I kept on delivering to these students are the same messages I deliver to the people whom I speak with every day;
- There are jobs out there and there are more jobs on the way. Don’t get me wrong, it is tough out there…dang tough. But, it has been tough before and it will be tough again. You just have to keep your head down, drive hard and wait for the smoke to clear.
- There are entry level positions out there but they will not find you, you have to find them.
- There are certain industries out there that are struggling and others that are growing. The thing is, a lot of people know which industries are growing and those same people are also trying to break in to those industries…there is a ton of competition out there and you have to separate yourself from the pack.
- It is not uncommon in the least to have your MBA and be in sales. If you go to get your MBA to get out of sales, that is fine. It does not mean that you are above sales. It just means that sales is not for you. It is my experience, any professional who does not see the value of a strong sales career is very confused and should definitely stay in school.
- And lastly, to the Class of 2009, please come out of school – we need you. We need fresh minds with fresh ideas who will build the market. New minds, not preoccupied by classes and dissertations, will invent new products, new services and new technologies. Do you think Bill Gates dropped out of school to go work for Microsoft? The answer is yes, the only problem is that Microsoft wasn’t hiring because it did not exist yet. So, Bill Gates essentially started Microsoft for the sole reason that he wanted to work there.
That is what we need from the graduating class of 2009. Dream up the company you want to work for and then go out there and start that company. And, when you need to build a sales team, call Treeline, we will find the right sales people for you.
Posted in Sales Motivation, Comments Off
Grandparents vs. Parents
I recently was on the way over to my father-in-law’s house to pick up my oldest son from his sleepover at Grampy’s and I got to thinking about why grandparents love visits with their grandchildren. I feel that grandparents, in general, love time with their grandchildren and love having them over for the night, but why? After all, my father-in-law could be out on the town doing a million other things, does he really enjoy spending the night at home watching “Handy Manny” or “Wall-E” or “Thomas the Tank-Engine”? Let’s be honest, kids are a challenge and although my son is generally well behaved, his energy level could wear anyone down.
Then it hit me…no matter what happens on that sleepover, when the morning comes, my son is going home and Grampy is no longer responsible. Grampy can then clean up and get some rest or at the very least he can sit in peace for a little while. For parents, there is never enough peace, quiet, rest, or time to really clean up. You simply move toys into piles around the house so you don’t step on them after you have taken off your shoes. (it always amazes me how much this hurts)
As recruiters, we speak to many organizations and hiring managers and it is interesting to compare their views of the marketplace. These views seem to coincide with the grandparents vs. parents points of view. There are management teams who are looking at this economy and, while recognizing the challenges, they perceive that now is the time to gain market share. They know that this is a unique opportunity to bring in a talented salesperson now that maybe wasn’t available 6 months ago. These managers are taking the view of grandparents, who know that even if they are facing a temper-tantrum or demands for ice cream from their grandchild, this time will pass. Much like the challenges of the current economy, this, too, will eventually pass. And all recessions do eventually subside.
Some of our clients have understandably gone into bunker mode and are not going to hire or try to gain market share. They are the parents who are thinking, “I have another 18 years of this stuff. This is never going to end”. After all, when you are dealing with a cranky child it is hard to think about anything except, “how do I survive this? How do I make it through to bedtime?” Or as a management team, how do we make it through 2009? What is interesting is comparing how you see things in the marketplace.
Now, I know some of you have read this and are thinking, “This guy is comparing the challenges of his kids to the challenges of the recession”…don’t lose sight on my point. Is now the time to secure and grow market-share? Or do you think now is the time to just hunker down? Is your company in the grandparent or parent mindset?
Posted in Sales Motivation, Comments Off
Sales Karma 2.0
Share information about who’s hiring with Sales Karma 2.0
More and more we are finding that the traditional job search is outdated in today’s market. Companies do not use job boards like they once did, and don’t publicly post all positions.
That makes information sharing more important than ever. As a community of sales professionals, we at Treeline are always looking for new ways to connect people. If we can communicate our experiences with each other, we will be a much more educated group. That is the idea behind Sales Karma 2.0.
The goal of Sales Karma 2.0 is to share information about who is hiring, so that everyone can get back to work. Participating is easy. Use this blog to let us know who you’ve interviewed with. Have you recently been offered a new position? Take a quick moment to share contact info from the leads or jobs you didn’t want or didn’t get. Pay it forward and over time it will pay you back!
Sharing your wisdom with others will not only make you a better sales person, but it may help you and others land that next sales role.*
*Please note that Sales Karma 2.0 is for sharing information only. It is not a forum for promoting your organization.
Posted in About Treeline, Sales Team, Comments Off
Retained Search vs. Contingency Search
At Treeline we offer both contingency and retained search services. Many of our clients have asked me what the difference is and I thought it prove to be useful for many of you hiring executives that are looking for a resources to assist you in a particular search. Please note that both types of search are proven and very successful.
Contingency Search is based strictly on performance and less expensive for the hiring firm. The advantage to launching a contingency search is that there is no upfront cost. There is no exclusivity so you can use as many firms as you like and it is basically risk free because there is no charged fee unless you hire. The disadvantage if you don’t have strong partnerships with your vendors and seek out well known search firms you may not know what kind of message is being driven to the marketplace. You want a trusted ally to communicate your message to the market. Because there is no exclusivity make sure your partners are strong and your comfort level is very high when it comes to there ability to drive your message to the market. Signing lots of firms does not necessarily drive more qualified leads. In many cases it causes confusion in the market. The average contingency search is 25% of base salary, with a 30 day guarantee and net 10 payment terms.
The key to a successful contingency search is to find reputable firms that have the recognition and brand that you can trust. Build a strong partnership with those firms and you will find success. Do not try to negotiate price too strongly with a contingency firm. It will not help you. Never sign a low contingency search fee because you will get no attention. A well known and successful contingency based firm will say no to risky fees. If a good firm says no to your fee you may want to re-evaluate your fee. Remember that contingency firms have many clients and you pay them nothing to start the search. Contingency firms will focus on companies that have the largest fee, the most urgency and the greatest amount of communications and feedback. The key is to commit to your firm. For a contingency firm to succeed, they must find clients that want to build a partnership with them. They cannot afford to work with companies that are not serious about making a hire. It has to be a win-win so make sure you work with the firm not against it. Remember that you get what you pay for.
Retained Search has an upfront cost associated with it and is typically more expensive. The advantage is you have one exclusive partner with dedicated resources to fill your vacancy. Retained search is more consultative. A retained search takes control of the search; they focus on discovery, assessment, research, candidate development, interviewing, consultation and close. You have hired guns protecting your interests by investing the necessary time to help you find the right fit. The disadvantage is that this is very costly and there is no guarantee. Because you have exclusivity with this firm if you find and hire a candidate on your own you still owe the entire fee and if the firm is not producing great results you are bound by the contract. The average retained search is 33% of total compensation including bonus, with a 60 day guarantee and 1/3 payment at signing, 1/3 payment at shortlist of candidates and the last 1/3 at offer.
The key to working with a retained organization is to find a firm you trust. Make sure you know who will be conducting your search and meet those people. Make sure you understand exactly what you are getting and make sure you understand the timeline. If you can find a team you trust and can afford the cost of a retained search then make sure you commit to a strong partnership and you will have a great and successful experience.
What have you found to be successful in your search and why?
Posted in About Treeline, Sales Jobs, Comments Off
Opinions Wanted: What do you want in a search firm?
We work in the search business and would like to hear from you as to how we can make it better? What do you need from our industry? We are a flexible and ever changing organization and look to you for more ideas on how to change. Please let us know what we can do to revolutionize our industry.
Posted in About Treeline, Comments Off
Be thankful for good days!
Good days, we all love them!
Well, don’t we? Would it not be amazing if every day was YOUR day!? Coming off the weekend, as I was driving into work this morning I had time to reflect on how great the weekend was! The weather was great, I was surrounded by family and friends and not to mention Boston sports did well. Overall, I had a good weekend.
In these tough times, we are constantly hearing about the ‘bad’ and not so much about the ‘good.’ The ‘bad’ finds its way into our personal lives and of course, our place of employment.
I work in the lovely world of sales. I assist sales people in advancing their careers with top opportunities while providing clients with top sales professionals to help build their team. Let’s face it, in sales, it is the simple formula of what you put into it, is what you will get out of it. I like to consider myself a hard worker and I will do what it takes to make it happen. I am a hunter and consistently on the move to close business. I “pound” the phone, I meet with potential clients, and I am always trying to move the deals along to close. I do all of this because I love the thrill of the challenge, I am motivated by accomplishing something difficult, and I am satisfied by my line of work.
But, there are days, that no matter how hard I work, things do not go my way. We all have days like these. It may seem like ‘the bad’ happens more than I would like. A client filled their role on their own, their department budget just got pulled, the client went on a hiring freeze, the candidate decided to go in a different direction. Whatever ‘bad’ is happening that day, I always turn to the most important things that I have learned in sales; be consistent and always work with a sense of urgency. Even though you are driving 100%, you may not see instant results, but continue to work hard because a payoff is always coming.
Closing that deal, giving someone a new start, helping a client to fill an open slot – these are the difficult accomplishments that I works so hard for. In order to get there, I have to stay positive, consistently, and no matter what, I have to do what it takes to be successful.
I am a strong believer that good things happen to good people! A few months ago there was a great candidate in one of my accounts who unfortunately did not get an offer from a particular company. About 2 weeks later, I received a call from that same company asking if that candidate would be available and if he could start within the week! “Did I just hear that correctly?” GREAT! I worked hard to get this candidate’s foot in the door, he, in turn, worked hard in the interview, and all that hard work eventually paid off.
See, the good days happen, you just have to believe in yourself, work hard and keep a positive attitude through the bad days…another good day is on its way.
Posted in Sales Motivation, Comments Off
It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon…
Yesterday was a great day to be a Bostonian. The Red Sox, the Bruins and the Celts all had great wins, Rondo pulled out a triple-double and the greatest and most prestigious race coursed through the streets of Beantown. You could hear the cheers and cowbells throughout city and adrenaline rushed through the veins of the runners and the observers alike. I took the day off to participate in the festivities and found myself awed and inspired by the determination and drive of the runners. As I was kicking my shoes against the steel partition with frustration that I can’t run 26.2 miles, I realized that I’ve been running a marathon for the past 6 months…and that road is the recession. I’m certainly not the only one with a bib number in this race. Every sales person in this economy has been registered for the same race, whether they like it or not. We’ve all weathered the terrible conditions and pot-hole ridden roads for months now and the finish line still doesn’t seem to be in sight, but we’re making progress.
Just like the Boston Marathon, this race has had a few starting waves, a seriously heart-breaking hill and finishing times all over the map. But one thing is for sure, we will all finish this race in due time. We’re all tired, we have massive blisters but think of how great it’s going to feel when we cross that finish line and we’re able to walk again. This marathon is one for the ages and we just have to keep pushing. We all have more tenacity and determination than we think we have and I would love to see everyone challenge themselves and finish strong. And after the finish, don’t stop training. There will be more races to weather and the economy might even throw a triathlon at you, so never stop! The more you train, the more powerful sales athlete you become and the rocky roads of the economy will be like running on a treadmill. But pace yourself and remember: it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
On your mark, get set…keep goin!
Posted in Sales Advice, Comments Off
Internetting
The current economic state has caused many people to search for some sort of solution that will right the ship and make life a little easier again. I am, personally, one of those people on that thorough search and I realized that the solution to our problem is right under our fingertips – the Internet and mobile broadband.
I have found, through my research, some articles on fiscal packages designed by the US and other global organizations that include significant government spending within the Telecom and Broadband Wireless Networks. India, China and the USA project that this funding will create nearly a million new jobs throughout the coming year.
I rely heavily on the communication methods of broadband Internet and my daily activity has increased year after year. It is at the point where there is rarely a moment where I am not in front of a computer or clicking away on some sort of mobile device that has access to the internet. I have a blackberry that is attached to my hip to ensure consistent correspondence with my clients and memberships to LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Along with being able to get up to date information from my social networking sites, I also read Reuters, CNN-Money, and Bloomberg updates on an hourly basis so that I’m in the loop with the play-by-play report of our economy and mobile updates on some of the terrible stock picks that I made on e*trade.
The internet has become one of the starting points to my day and almost as regular as the morning shower, the cup of coffee or the rushed breakfast before work. The internet is also the start of the day for the millions of unemployed workers. Finding a new opportunity nowadays seems to always start with the internet. Need to find opportunities or research companies that are hiring? – Go to the internet. Need to connect with a network of people that will assist you in meeting the decision makers for the job you want? – Go to the internet. Need to get your resume in the hands of the hiring manager? – You get the idea. Candidates are constantly turning to the internet to find a new job and in many cases, start a new life. The same is true for companies…
More organizations are turning to internet to research what their competitors are doing or what new tools/technology they can use to get ahead in this marketplace. Our company is looking at how different applications will allow us to revolutionize our industry. We want to change the way that companies search for candidates and how candidates find jobs. We may be able to change an industry, but we’re not going to be able to change the world…or are we?! I can feel that something bigger is on the horizon, not only for our company but for the way we live our lives on a daily basis and I am betting the house that it will come from the internet.
Posted in Sales Trends, Comments Off
Live from Fox 25!
Recently I did a live interview with Fox TV and wanted to share my experience. The first thing I have to say is that the team at Fox News is incredible. Every single person there is a consummate professional, very personable and, most of all, positive. Because of that team, the experience of being on live TV was awesome.
With my first experience on live TV back in January, I was unsure of what to expect and had no idea of what to anticipate. On multiple occasions, I have spoken at events in front of audiences of more than 1,000 attendees. So, I channeled my past experiences so that I felt comfortable that everything would go off without a hitch this time around.
What I have found, is that the people who I surround myself with are never short of pre-interview advice. From how I sit, to how I speak, even to how I dress (I wear a suit and tie every day) – everyone had some input for me. My advice to anyone who is subject to an influx of said advice is to listen, say ‘thank you’, and move on. The one major piece of advice that I took to heart and utilized during the interview was to just be myself. Many people will offer suggestions prior to the interview but I think the most genuine way to conduct an interview is to just be yourself. Know who you are and offer honest and genuine input that you believe in. I am a huge subscriber to Karma. What you give to this world will come back ten fold so always do the right thing. And being yourself is very ‘right.’
After the interview had ended and the lights and cameras were no longer on me – I got into my car, drove to the office and continued being me. It was a great experience and I believe in the message I delivered. Most of all, I hope my words helped some people. We, at Treeline, are neck deep with the challenges of this job market everyday and there are people out there who need to know that they are not alone. For those people, I hope that my time on TV let them know that we are all in this together.
Some people may have liked the interview and others may have not. I would love to hear your opinion now that you have seen the footage. Thoughts?
Posted in About Treeline, Sales Jobs, Treeline Videos, Comments Off
Random Thought: Is coffee still for closers??
I went on a client visit this afternoon and after stepping into the boardroom my client looked at me and asked: “Would you like any coffee or water before we get started?” I politely declined and commenced the meeting. After leaving my meeting, I began thinking about my client’s question and had the thought, ‘When was the last time I was offered coffee at a meeting?’
It seems as though a few years ago drinking coffee during a business meeting was customary and declining a refreshment offered by your client was considered rude. Has hospitality in the boardroom taken a toll due to the economy or has it simply become passé? Or are clients no longer asking because the offer is constantly declined. I’ll be honest, I would love water and/or coffee but I literally spill everything I eat or drink on myself. Add a full cup of coffee and the pre-meeting nerves and you have a disaster on your hands and coffee on your table.
Is coffee still for closers or have we moved on?
Posted in Sales Advice, Comments Off
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